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Hello and welcome to The Compost Bin. I'm Compostwoman and I live with my family in rural Herefordshire. We have nearly four acres of garden and woodland, all managed organically, which we share with Chickens, Cats, Guinea Pigs and assorted wildlife. We also grow a lot of our own food, run courses in all sorts of things and make a lot of compost!

I work as an environmental educator, lecturer, writer and Forest School leader at Moors Wood . I am a Master Composter and have spent the last 11 years as a volunteer Community Compost adviser with Garden Organic and my local Council. I offer talks and run workshops and events where we talk about compost, veg growing, chicken keeping, cooking, preserving and sustainable living. We also make crafts and have fun.

We try to live a more self sufficient lifestyle here, as best we can, while still having a comfortable life and lots of fun.To learn more about us click on the About Compostwoman tab and remember to click on the photos to make them full size!

Thursday, 29 December 2011

Ex battery hens Day 2 (Thurs) at Compost Mansions

The 7 hens were all eating and drinking and pooing normally after their ordeal on Wednesday, which was a great relief BUT one hen was dragging her wing a bit last night and this morning it was worse, so I have had a trip to the Vet with her for treatment today. She is now in a body bandage and on painkillers :-(

Also have two limping girls so they went to be looked at as well. One is just bruised but the other may have arthritis ( quite common in caged hens, as are brittle bones due to lack of exercise and natural light

The hen with the broken wing and the very lame hen are in my ICU on extra special special treatment, the bruised hen has gone back in with the others but I am keeping a close eye on them.

My vet is used to me by now bringing all sorts of animals to them but I am sure they must think I am mental for being so concerned about hens - most people would just cull a bird with a broken wing and never take it to the vets and tbh if she had been looking like she was on the way out I would have done just that - BUT she is a feisty, fighty little hen and too full of life to give up on – so I won’t!

Am concerned about the hen with the broken wing – as the body bandage may not work, but the alternative was it being pinned under anaesthetic – which we did not think she would survive so it is the best available option we have – she didn’t like the pain relief drops, either…pecked me and drew blood, ungrateful hen!

One of the hens gets her first taste of jumping up onto something :-)

ICU for poorly hens on left and the main run on the right, all inside the polytunnel to keep them a bit warmer and also isolate them from my other hens ( just in case!)